Please welcome my friend and sister-Regency author Erica Vetsch to our blog today!
Thank you, Julie Klassen, for the opportunity to blog here at Inspired by Life & Fiction.
Those who know me know that I love history. I love history books, museums, history podcasts, history vloggers. My head is stuffed with all sorts of historical bits, and I cannot get enough history.
Which is one reason I love writing historical romance. I get to dive into the era I’m writing, the politics, the customs, the fashions, the architecture, the industry, the transportation, the entertainments, the social issues…
I began my writing career sort of ‘writing what I knew,’ which was American history. My books were set mostly in the Midwest, where I grew up, and often took place in, or near, or were patterned after places I had actually been. Historic forts, the open prairie, old west towns, logging camps.
But a few years ago, I turned my mind to writing books set in Regency England. The problem is, I’ve never been to Regency England. I’ve never been to England at all. How could I write accurately about a place I’ve never seen?
Research.
I first asked Julie Klassen what research books she would recommend. She was gracious with her expertise, and gave me some great starting points. From there, I branched out to books I would need for researching a particular aspect of one of my stories. Over the years, my library has grown, and it is always expanding as I explore new facets of the Regency period. I try to keep things orderly on the shelves, with sections for different topics. Some I currently have are: Crime, household management, artwork, military history, fashion, maps and graphs, flora and fauna, and general history of England.
I also enjoy watching documentaries via YouTube on British history. It doesn’t have to necessarily be Regency History, though those take priority. I watch history vlogs on the Tudors, Roman occupation, the English Civil War, and more, to find out the history that formed the Regency.
Another way I gather research is watching period dramas. While not everything in the shows/films is 100% historically accurate, watching these can give a sense of time and place, of voice and movement. Plus, they’re just plain old fun!
I belong to a writer’s group specifically for Regency Writers, and I take many of the classes they have offered. I subscribe to history magazines, read history blogs, and pester my Regency-writing friends with research questions. 🙂
And finally, a great way to research is seeing places in real life. In just a few months, I hope to be surveying the English countryside with my own two eyes. I have to whittle down my list of places I wish to see, in an effort to be realistic, but it’s so hard. I’m already imagining setting some books in the places I plan to visit.
When I started this Regency lark a few years (and seven stories ago) I had no idea the places it would take me, research-wise, but I have enjoyed every minute of it!
Do you have a favorite history podcast, YouTube channel, or blog?
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at Inspirational Regency Readers where she spends way too much time!
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Regency England is one of my all-time favorite settings! I commend you for all the research you put in. Even though you probably don’t end up inserting most of the details you know into your novels, that research base gives a story depth and believeability. Have a fabulous time experiencing England for yourself!
The Regency time period is one of my favorite for reading. I’ve never tried to write it! And I’ve so loved yours, Erica! Looking forward to the next one!
My favorite history podcast right now is Wise About Texas–all about Texas history, the big events and little, unknown ones.
I always enjoyed your western historical books but I love your Regency books (Serendipity and Secrets series and the Thorndike and Swann mysteries). I appreciate all your attention to historical detail.